The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1887-08-12
MANIA OF The MALAY.
The Strange and Terrible lIysterical Ar
focfIos, CalIaL sslt.anDlne. A r.noIr

The Strange and Terrible IIysterical Ar
fectIon Called Cumming Amucls."
drumming amuck' is phrase derived
from the Malay word ''amok' (skill-
ing'o and constitutes well marked
hysterical affection of certain races in
habiting oriental countries. 1t is rarely,
if ever, manifested among the quiet tenn
pered Hindoos, and but seldom among
the Indian Mussulmans, which, when
ever it does occur in Hindostan, the
malady may generally be traced to the
abuse of opium or the extract of hemp
called bhang, ganja or charras. The
Hindoo tobacconist sells special confec-
ton made CT bhang, opium, datura,
cloves, mastic, cinnamon and carda-
NUNS, which is mixed with milk and
sugar and eaten as sweetmeat. This
diabolical cake-known as maium-will
drive a man mad about as soon as any
thing. With the Malays, however, who
have given name to the terrible mental
alteration of which we speak, and who
are by far the most addicted to it Of all
eastern people, there is seldom any
such explanation Of the outbreak.
Suddenly, without rhyme or reason,
man will spring up from bis shop
board or his couch, draw his kris--the
wavo bladed dagger which they all carry
and, with scream OF 'sAmokl Amok.'
strike its point into the heart of the hear-
est wayfarer and dart down the crowded
bazaar like the lunatic which he is, stab
bing and cutting on all sides. 'Amok!
Amok!' issues from n hundred mouths,
Nv fn,. ,,10 Of,
uge, fleeing in all directions, except those
holder spirits who snatch up weapons of
defense and join tho armed thropg which
pursues the desperado. The path Of the
chase i3 soon strewn with bodies of men,
women and children, dead or bleeding to
death, until some lucky shot CT daring
thrust disables the murderer, who is
pierced with a dozen blades as soon as he
/ falls to the ground. Occasionally it
turns out that tic ''amo,ser" has received
somo personal affront CT injury or was
hopelessly in debt or disappointed in love;
but more commonly there is Eothing
whatever TO account for the wild fury of
his proceedings, and tho street sweepers
drag his carcass as carelessly away as if
leopard had been slain ia tho public
streets. So ordinary, indeed, is the oc-
currence thai i'll many towns and cities
where there lives a large Malay popula-
ton. an instrument is kept in readiness at
every police station called the ''amoker
catcher. 1t is something like an eel
spear with very long handle, and so
contrived that two elastic pointed spikes
close around the mad mans neck, and
secure him helplessly when tho iron
prongs are pushed against the nape from
behind.
Neither rank nor wealth keeps q Malay
from this sudden access CT hom;cidal
mania if he has the predisposition or has
been greatly excited. There was an in
stance at Salatiga, in the island Of Java,
where the regent was celebrating the
marriage of two of his daughters, and
everybody was in festive and joyous
mood. Just, however, at the gayest mo-
ment of the ceremonies the regents
brother-in-law, high official, came rush
ing through the procession, stabbing
everybody he could get at with his jeweled
kris. The regent himself, coming up to
inquire into tho uproar, was killed by q
single thrust, and it was fhe brother of
the prince who ran the ''molSer'' through
the back with spear and brought him
down, yet not before he had slaughtered
nine of the palace people and wounded
six others more or less severely.
1t might be supposed that q race sub
ject to such ferocious fits would be nat
urally cXcitable and nervous III manner;
but the contrary is the case. The Malay
is of all men the most quiet, dignified and
slow Of speech and action in his ordinary
life. He seldom speaks loudly or quickly,
has the most courteous and even gentle
demeanor and quarrels very rarely with
his fellows. Yet he is coldly and silently
cruel; has no regard for human life and
derives from the Mohammedan faith,
which he processes, its bitterest and most
relentless dogmas Once started on the
''death run" by insult, despair or some
brain trouble, his only thought is to "xill
and kill and kill, T" and in the fierce ex-
ultation of his insanity he does not feel
the blow which lets out his burning blood
and puts stop to his dreadful career
II 4 III 4